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NOTES AND QUERIES. [12 s. i. FKB. 12, me.
In his 'Curious Lore of Precious Stones' (Philadelphia, 1913), gives, in facsimile, a specimen page of a fourteenth (?) century MS. in his possession containing an Italian version of the 'De Mineralibus' of Albertus Magnus (1193-1280), for a short time Bishop of Ratisbon, to whom Renodæus was evidently indebted for his information on this subject. In this translation the Hungarian king's name, as per specimen page, is given as Bela, on the strength of which Mr. Kunz identifies him with Béla IV. (1235-70). In the original version, however, the king's name is not mentioned, but it is merely stated that he was the bishop's contemporary. L. L. K.
Queries.
We must request correspondents desiring information on family matters of only private interest to affix their names and addresses to their queries, in order that answers may be sent to them direct.
RUMOURS OF CAPTURE OF NAPOLEON,
1798. The following eighteenth-century
passages need explanation:—
"At Edinburgh, during the American War, the Governor of the Castle received despatches. Lady
, his friend, in the French sense of the word,
was with him ; and he was half drunk. Unfit for the task himself, he gave her the despatches to read. The lady has a warm imagination, and is delighted by a grand display ; something that she read inflamed her fancy, and she exclaimed,
- Governor, here is great news ; you must order
the Castle guns fired directly.' The Governor took her word for it. and gave orders accordingly ; but the great news, like the capture of Buonaparte in Hyde Park on Thursday, was wholly ideal. The guns were fired, the city was alarmed, crowds came running to know the reason, arid tho maudlin Governor was disgraced and laughed at."
Who was Lady - - ? Who was the Governor of the castle ? W hat is the source of this anecdote ? Are there any references to " the capture of Buonaparte in Hyde Park" on that Thursday in July, 1798, among the papers or magazines of the time ? "July 26th [1798]. Went to Debrett's. The news there, that Buonaparte and his whole fleet
were taken ; it was communicated by Lord H to
the horse volunteers that were reviewing in Hyde Park; they immediately gave three huzzas, and it ran from mouth to mouth through the crowd. It was false. Such scenes are tragically ridiculous. ......Buonaparte has been captured at least a dozen
times. On one of these occasions Lord L , as
I hear, communicating the news to one of the B 's, began his letter with three hurrahs."
Who was Lord H ? Who was Lord
? Who were the B 's ?
E. C.
' THE DECAMERONE.' Recently I pur-
chased a rare edition of the first English
translation of Boccaccio's ' Decamerone.'
On referring to the tenth novel of the third
day I found the original story omitted, and
another substituted entitled :
" The wonderful and chaste resolved continency of fair Serictha, daughter to Siwalde, King of Denmarke, who being sought and sued after by many worthy persons that did affect her deerly, would not look a man in the face until such time before she was married."
I should like to know whether this substituted tale is by the author of the ' Decamerone,' or taken from some other source.
MAURICE JONAS.
RUSSIAN REGIMENTS. In The Asiatic Review of August, 1915, Dr. John Pollen, C.I.E., says that the Astrakan Regiment of the Russian army, the 12th Grenadiers, was raised by Roman Bruce, " eldest son of one William Bruce, who migrated to Russia in Cromwell's time." Was he related to Master General James Bruce of the Airth family, who, according to James Grant ('Scottish Soldiers of Fortune'), was the first officer to render the Russian artillery efficient ? Were any other Russian regi- ments of to-day raised by Scotsmen ?
J. M. BULLOCH. 123 Pall Mall, S.W.
GENNYS OF LAUNCESTON AND PLYMOUTH. There is reason to believe that some member or members, of this ancient Cornish family migrated to Ireland in the seventeenth century. Any information on the subject will be gratefully acknowledged by
GERTRUDE THRIFT. 79 Grosvenor Square, Rathmines, Dublin.
A TITHE-BARN IN LONDON. Some years ago there was a statement in one of the daily newspapers to the effect that the tithe-barn at Peterborough had been bought by a London antiquary, who proposed to remove it and re-erect It somewhere in London. Was this scheme ever carried out ?
THOS. RATCLIFFE.
SMALL MEZZOTINT ENGRAVINGS, c. 1829. [ have in a scrap-book the small mezzotint }itle-page of ' Pidding's New Pocket Cabinet "or 1829,' and some ten mezzotint prints, of miniature size, generally about 3| by 2 in., mostly topographical, but with a few fancy subjects, evidently taken from the work named. The views include Dover and Carisbrooke Castles, Godalming, Rochester Bridge, Maldon Church, and the Pantheon at Rome, and are remarkably well executed,
